What Doesn't Kill You
by CrookedMoonlight
Summary: Oneshot with two chapters - Gray, Juvia, Lyon and Meredy face off against Winter General Invel, set during/after chapter 474 of the manga! Chapter 2 is the alternate ending - the one that i was originally supposed to write! Enjoy :) Gray x Juvia
1. What Doesn't Kill You

**What doesn't kill you**

 **A/N:** **Oneshot set in chapter 474 of the manga!**

The battle for Hargeon was raging as Gray, Juvia and Lyon fought the never-ending soldiers.

"Gray" Lyon shouted to the other icemage as he cast icemake eagles.

"I'm on it!" Gray shouted back as he cast an icemake geyser

"Water slicer!" Juvia shouted from somewhere behind them throwing vicious blades of water at the enemies. Gray turned around to the watermage wide eyed as two soldiers had snuck up on her. Panic shot through his core.

"Juvia, behind you!" He roared completely unable to do anything to help her, he couldn't get to her in time. _Screw it._ He thought as he broke his spell and turned to watermage whose eyes were now wide in fear as she turned around to see two soldiers above her, she had no time to counter their attack. _This is the end._ Juvia thought. Bright beams of light shot in front of Juvia as the soldiers were sent crashing to the ground. The three wizards turned to the direction the beams had come from. Meredy was there.

"Meredy!" Juvia chimed happy to see the pink haired crime-sorciere mage again.

"You're… What the hell are you doing here…?" Gray asked the Meredy, stunned but feeling relieved that Juvia was safe.

"Crime-sorciere is here to join the battle!" she smiled at them a small blush lining her cheeks matching her hair.

"Sh-…she's adorable…" Gray and Juvia looked to Lyon smiling; Gray had never seen Lyon such a stuttering mess. He was normally the cool one. He smirked as he glanced at Juvia just to check she actually was still in one piece. Juvia smiled smugly, she'd had to get those two together.

"Right well lets clean up these last few soldiers." Gray said to the three others. "Lyon." he nodded to his old friend.

"Right." Lyon nodded back. "Ice-make snow dragon! Ice-make snow leopard!" He sent out two ice-make creatures into the battle.

"Wow…" Meredy muttered amazed at his beautiful creations. "Maguilty Sodom!" She shouted striking at the soldiers pain sensors.

"Water Nebula!" Juvia shouted taking out a fair few of the soldiers with her columns of swirling water.

"Way to go Juvia!" Meredy smiled at the watermage. To think they were once enemies on two different sides, but now they were good friends. Juvia had saved Meredy from herself. The soldiers had all been defeated.

"Hey! Look over there!" Lyon pointed to the shore. A fleet of ships was docked there, that must have been how the soldiers arrived at Hargeon. "That must've been how they got here. Do you think they had a leader with them?" Gray looked around the battlefield. There was no sign of anyone else here.

"You must be looking for me." A sharp voice spoke as an ice-make spell slammed into Meredy sending her to the ground, freezing her legs together.

"Meredy!" Lyon and Juvia shouted in unison as they stared at the fallen Maguilty mage.

"Show yourself!" Gray shouted as the three of them looked frantically around, there was some movement off to the left and Gray spun around to face it. Sure enough someone was emerging from the shadows of one of the ships. _How did he manage to cast such a long range ice-make spell?_ Gray eyed the figure as it loomed closer making out white hair.

"Ice-make eagles!" Lyon shouted sending his eagles at the figure, he was pissed. Gray turned to face the older icemage.

"Lyon you don't even know what or who we're up-" He was cut short as some ice-make spears struck Lyon to the floor, blood pooling out his wounds. "LYON!" Gray shouted at his friend.

"Water!" Juvia shouted as she fired hot water at the spears melting them. Gray looked at her gratefully as Lyon froze his wounds to stop the bleeding. "This might burn a little Meredy." Juvia said as she thawed her legs.

The figure was now standing in front of the four of them, the icemage was tall about 6'3" with white hair like Lyons and he wore a pair of specs in front of his narrow eyes.

"Allow me to introduce myself before I annihilate you all. My name is Winter General Invel. The most powerful icemage in existence." Gray stared up at the man, _the most powerful eh? We'll see about that._

"That's a pretty hefty title you're claiming there. We've never heard of you this side of the continent. You can't be that powerful." Lyon smirked as he held his stomach

"That's quite a smart mouth you have there." Invel said as he pushed his specs up the bridge of his nose. "Ice-make bull." A bull made of ice charged at Lyon boring its horns into him as it threw him up in the air. Gray could only stare on in shock, _this is strong, his power… it feels stronger than masters… and he only used one hand to make his ice-make spell._

"Maguilty Sodom!" Meredy shouted once again sending her blades of pain into action.

"Freeze!" He shouted halting the blades in mid air before they hit the floor shattering.

"Wh…what how did you manage to do that…?" Meredy had never known anyone to stop her blades, they couldn't. That was what was so special about them, they could go through anything, even Juvias waterbody. Meredy heard a thump behind her as Lyons body had finally hit the floor.

"Ice-make freeze lance!" Gray shouted as he shot powerful lances at the opposing mage. "You must be pretty confident to only use one hand! That's your weakness!" He shouted smirking as his lances neared there mark.

"Ice-make sheild!" Invel cast a massive shield in front of him, Gray had never seen a shield like it. It was almost 12ft tall "happy now? I used both hands." He smirked at Gray who stared at the shield speechless. As his lances hit the shield they were bounced right off past him. He spun around as they hit Meredy. The Maguilty mage screamed as she flew backwards onto the floor near Lyon. _Where did this guy learn his magic?_ Gray gritted his teeth.

"Meredy!" Juvia shouted feeling angry. She turned to General Invel eyes blazing fists at her side. "Water Nebula!" Juvia shouted firing two jets of twisting water at the icemages shield.

"Ha! You really think your cute little attack will even scratch my shield?" He mocked Juvia.

"No. Juvia thinks it will go straight through." She smirked back as she turned up the power walking towards Invel. Gray stared at her. _Has she always been this beautiful when she fights?_ he thought as her blue waves blew around in the wind, he knew the answer, he had never seen her fight seriously. They were always separated. _How does she expect her water to go through his shield?_ Grays question was answered almost immediately as the water connected with the shield. "Ahhhh!" She shouted combining the two columns of water into one. _Of course._ Gray thought. _Her water, she can make it scalding. So hot it could melt anything._ A cracking sound could be heard and General Invel looked shocked as the shield started to split at different angles the cracks growing larger and spreading.

"H…How?" He asked eyes wide.

"Easy. Gray-samas lances hit one spot. They are strong, so Juiva knew that if she concentrated her power on that one spot combined with heat Juvia could break through your shield." _She's amazing._ Gray thought. He'd never have thought of that, and that quickly to.

"Way to go Juvia!" Gray smiled at the watermage as the shield gave way scalding General Invel. "Ice-make bazooka!" Gray shot a bazooka at General Invel hitting him in the stomach. He smirked. This guy was nothing that they couldn't handle together. Invel was on the floor head bowed.

"Very impressive." He chuckled as his white hair dripped with water. "Strong and beautiful." He looked up at her as Gray glowered at him. _What is it with Juvia and icemages?_ "No-one has ever broken my shield. Ever." He continued eye her. "It's a shame we're on different sides! Ice-make spears!"

"Waterlock!" Juvia shouted engulfing Invel in a sphere of shimmering water as some of the spears hit her before she managed to shift into waterbody.

"Gah!" Invel struggled to breathe as Juvias water lock tried to drag him into unconsciousness. Juvia pursed her lips as she melted a spear from her body. "Freeze!" Invel shouted as he froze Juvias water lock sending shards of it her way but they just went straight through her.

"Ice-make crescent blades!" Gray shouted as he ran towards the falling General. "Ice-make cold Excalibur!" he ran at Invel who too had made an ice-make Excalibur.

"This should be interesting." Invel smirked as the two mages ice swords clashed and clashed, _I should have overpowered this runt by now._ Invel thought as Gray matched him hit for hit. Juvia stood and watched the fight not wanting to get in the way of the sword fight unless Gray-sama needed her help. The watermage glanced behind her at Meredy and Lyon who were both still lying on the ground although closer together now watching the fight.

"Juvia." Lyon mumbled, catching her attention she met his gaze. "Watch Grays back. That General is strong, Gray might look like he's matching Invel but I think he has some nasty tricks up his sleeve yet." Juvia looked at Lyon nodding.

"Juvia would never let anyone hurt Gray-sama." She said determinedly casting her big blue orbs back on the man in question.

"Look out for yourself to Juvia." Meredy smiled at her. "Although I'm sure Gray will do that." She winked at the watermage making her blush crimson.

"Ice-make knuckles!" Gray shouted sending Invel flying as knuckles came out from beneath him punching and launching him into the air. Gray was panting from the intensity of their sword battle as he wiped some blood from his mouth as he turned to Juvia. "He wasn't so tough." He smiled as Juvia walked towards him smiling. _She always has the most beautiful smile._ He was one step closer to defeating E.N.D and giving her his answer. That thought made him nervous.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia shouted in a high pitched tone, her eyes wide. The next thing Gray felt was pain as a spear of ice struck through his core, blood covering his shirt. Juvia was now sprinting towards him as she fired hot water at him to melt the ice as she ran past him. "Water cyclone!" A powerful cyclone of water shooting at Invel who dodged the attack.

"You'll need to be faster than _Juvia of the deep_ " Those words froze Juvias attack. No-one had called her that since Phantom. "Juvia doesn't go by that name anymore!" She gritted her teeth. Gray clutching his injury as he froze it turned to watch Juvia fight Invel. She ran at him again dodging and melting any ice-make attacks he could throw at her. "Water claw!" Juvia leapt forwards towards Invel, getting in close as she made her attack but she missed as he dodged; spinning around Juvia put both of her hands together now that she was in close range. "Water cyclone!" She shouted knowing Invel would have to be very lucky to dodge such a powerful attack at close quarters.

"Rahhh!" Juvia had hit him head on with her scalding water cyclone. "You're going to regret that!" He grumbled as he tried to freeze her cyclone. Juvia put even more force behind her attack as her blue waves whipped around in the wind. "Ice-make shackles!" he whispered at he held off her water cyclone with one hand and used the other to make the shackles, holding her wrists above her head in thin air causing the cyclone to dissipate as they lifted her off the floor. "Look how the tables have turned. Now what will you do?" He chuckled as Juvia struggled to break them off. "You really are a remarkable water user." He eyed her up and down. "What should I do with you? I really can't decide." He scratched his chin in thought.

"Nothing." Juvia spoke confidently, "waterbody!" the watermage said changing her body so it was completely liquid as she slipped out of the shackles back to the floor. "Water cane!" A strong lash of water whipped at General Invel.

"Time for you to learn some manners little girl!" He shouted "Freeze!"

"Juvia!" Gray shouted as he raced towards her as Invel froze her solid. "Leave her alone! Ice geyser!" Gray threw in his hands to the floor encasing Invel in ice but not before he had sent a froze Juvia spinning towards the ocean. _Crap!_ He thought. He wasn't going to get to her in time. He had to try.

"And where do you think you're off to!" Invel roared as he broke free of the geyser. _Geez, doesn't this guy ever give up?_ Gray thought as he kept on running to the spinning watermage. "Ice-make wrecking ball!" Invel said as a wrecking ball appeared out of nowhere smacking Gray and crushing him hard into a nearby cliff-face not giving him any time think or react. Gray fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. "You were saying I wasn't so tough?" He mocked the ice devil slayer as the ocean erupted a huge swell if water rising up spinning around and around as the sky went a deep black and rain began to fall. Gray peered up, he'd recognise the feel of this rain anywhere. _Juvia,_ _she feels stronger than ever._ He could feel all her emotions in the rain, she was angry. Invel turned to the large volume of water that whipped around turning his ships over.

"No-one hurts my Gray-sama like that!" A murderous voice spoke from its epicentre. It was Juvia, she had risen up in the water. Gray remembered she was stronger in the rain. "Sierra!" She shouted as she and the swell of water became one rushed towards Invel, no shield or ice-make spell could stop her wrath. Gray watched overwhelmed by her beauty and power combined, her eyes shining a deep blue like the ocean. She knew this attack couldn't be stopped, she was the ocean itself. As he watched the water crash down into Invel he was sure he felt Ur in the water alongside Juvia helping her. She was magnificent. When she fought she fought with her very essence putting her whole heart into her attacks. She made Grays heart squeeze and flutter, she had a smile that resembled the sun, she was his light.

When Juvias attack had washed over the General Invel, she stood before him panting, exhausted from the amount of magic energy she had exerted. She hoped that was the end of him. Gray smiled. She had done it. That must be the end. No-one could withstand that attack.

"Damn." Invel was struggling to his feet, shaking, his glasses crumpled and broken as he spat blood on the sand. "No-one had tested my powers this much for a long time." He wiped his brow as he glared at Juvia as the wind began to howl. _Was he powering up?_ Gray didn't think that was possible. He tried to move out the rubble but his body screamed at him. "Ring magic." Invel said, Juvias eyes going wide as she shifted into her waterbody. "I have my back-up plan to deal with pesky watermages like yourself." He smirked at her. "Thunder cane!" He shouted as Juvia was struck with an electric whip crying out in pain.

"Juvia!" The icemage picked himself up off the rubble from the cliff-face as he made his way over to her every step was agonising. _I have to help her!_

"Ring magic, lightning vortex!" Juvia was enveloped in a spinning vortex of thunder which continuously shocked her as Invel laughed. "How does it feel to be shocked by the lightning whilst in waterbody." He licked his lips. "It must hurt like hell." He answered for her "So that _Gray-sama_ must be your boyfriend." Juvia didn't answer. "No?" Invels smiled turned wicked. "But you love him do you not? And he doesn't love you back? That must hurt to, knowing he could be taken from you at any moment." Juvia still didn't answer Invel not wanting to give him any more reason to mock her. _Gray-sama_ Juvia thought _Juvia can't hold on much longer._ The watermage remembered a promise they had made to each other before they had taken on Tartaros, that they would keep keep on living for their friends, they would conquer anything together, that they would be their for each other. _Juvia is sorry…_ The watermage felt her body giving in as the lightning continued to strike every cell in her body as it shifted back into its normal state. A hand snaked around her waist to her stomach making her feel warm and safe as the lightning stopped. Juvia exhaled as she looked up to Gray-sama as he held her against him, his eyes hard and focused, he had cast an icemake wall blocking the path of magic from his ring to Juvia.

"You don't know shit about how I feel about Juvia. Or our relationship." He growled his grip on her tightening making Juvias heart jump. "Being 'in a relationship' is just a title! At the end of the day its your feelings and emotions for each other that really count!" He shouted keeping up the ice-make wall as Invel tried to break it. He looked down into Juvias blue eyes as she looked up into his through her thick lashes seeing them start to soften, their faces merely inches apart as he was still positioned behind her. "You ready?" Juvia nodded a year ago she would've fangirled at that sentence, but she had changed, she had matured.

"Yes Gray-sama." Juvia replied her eyes dancing as he turned his body to face hers completely as they both stripped in unison.

"Wh-What's going on here?!" Lyon and Invel shrieked as Meredy giggled. _They really have grown together. Their bond is a clear as the sun on a cloudless day._

Gray took Juvias hand in his own as he pulled her body closer to his looking into her eyes drowning in them as he felt their magic powers mix and meld together like salt and fresh water. He smiled down at her as a warmth spread through the both of them lighting up all their nerves, quickening their hearts beat into one.

"Second origin!" They both shouted smiling at each other before turning to Invel

"Wings of Love!" Juvia shouted sending brilliant blue waves and pink hearts out towards Invel

"Ice Geyser!" Gray shouted at the same time mixing in his ice devil slayer magic to amp up the power even more as his and Juvias magic combined in front of them directly hitting Invel as he tried but failed to block their second origin unison raid. Panting the two mages smiled at each other hand in hand. They had defeated Invel.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia chimed her eyes gleaming, her smile making his heart melt, as she faced him hands on his chest.

"We did it." He ran a hand through his wet hair as he looked back down into her eyes moving his hand from hers to the small of his back as he leaned in and met her smooth lips pulling her closer to him, his body feeling hot against hers. The kiss reassuring him that she was still here with him, he thought he was going to lose her on more than one occasion in this battle, that had scared him to death. They broke apart foreheads still touching as the rain cleared up and the sun began to break through the dark clouds, Grays other hand laced through Juvias as they stared into each others eyes speaking unspoken words between them as the suns rays lit up both their faces with a warm glow adding to the magical moment amidst all the chaos.

 **A/N:** **This fic was a bit out of the blue and definitely didn't end how I planned it to… Please see the next chapter for the other ending and the feel train!**

 **Read & Review Please!**

CrookedMoonlight


	2. The Alternate End

The Alternate End.

 **A/N:** **This is the original ending I had planned for the story, I wrote the other one from free flowing ideas, I don't like to interrupt my thought chain when I write so that's how it came out. However. I really really love this one! And I hope you guys do to!**

"Rahhh!" Juvia had hit him head on with her scalding water cyclone. "You're going to regret that!" He grumbled as he tried to freeze her cyclone. Juvia put even more force behind her attack as her blue waves whipped around in the wind. "Ice-make shackles!" he whispered at he held off her water cyclone with one hand and used the other to make the shackles, holding her wrists above her head in thin air causing the cyclone to dissipate as they lifted her off the floor. "Look how the tables have turned. Now what will you do?" He chuckled as Juvia struggled to break them off. "You really are a remarkable water user." He eyed her up and down. "What should I do with you? I really can't decide." He scratched his chin in thought.

"Nothing." Juvia spoke confidently, "waterbody!" the watermage said changing her body so it was completely liquid as she slipped out of the shackles back to the floor. "Water cane!" A strong lash of water whipped at General Invel hitting him side and legs.

"Time for you to learn some manners little girl!" He shouted "Freeze!"

"Juvia!" Gray shouted as he raced towards her as Invel froze her solid. "Leave her alone! Ice geyser!" Gray threw in his hands to the floor encasing Invel in ice but not before he had sent a froze Juvia spinning towards the ocean. _Crap!_ He thought. He wasn't going to get to her in time. He had to try.

"And where do you think you're off to!" Invel roared as he broke free of the geyser. _Geez, doesn't this guy ever give up?_ Gray thought as he kept on running to the spinning watermage. "Ice-make wall!" Gray was met with a thick wall of ice. _Perfect._ He thought as he absorbed it. "Wh-what are you?" Invel asked completely freaked out by the fact that Gray had just consumed his ice.

"I'm an ice-devil slayer." Gray smirked at him. "And you just pissed me off. Big time." He cracked his knuckles. Juvia would be fine. She could breathe underwater and that ice would melt in the ocean. "Ice devil's Zeroth long sword!" A purple sword of ice appeared in Grays hand as his black tattoos appeared up his arms turning one of his eyes a bright pink.

"I've never heard of an ice devil slayer." Invel pondered the thought, or had he? He couldn't quite recall. Not that it mattered he would crush Gray like everyone else. "Cold Excalibur." This time he used both hands to cast his weapon, just in case. The two icemages ran and jumped towards each other as their swords clashed, powerfully, sending ripples of magical energy across the beachfront kicking up some sand. Grays Zeroth sword sent out a powerful wave of ice magic towards Invel making him gasp as it froze him solid. _I'd like to try and see him break out of my ice devil magic._ Gray smirked as he turned to face a frozen Juvia who hadn't made it to the ocean after all. _Crap!_ He thought as he raced over to her, placing her in his lap as he absorbed the ice, thawing her out. She was so cold, her body was trembling and her lips almost as blue as her hair.

"Juvia…" Gray murmured as he held her in his arms.

"Ring magic." Invel said, breaking through Grays ice. _How the hell did he just do that?!_ Gray gritted his teeth. "Lightning strike!" He shouted as bolts of lightning rained down on Gray and Juvia.

"Shit!" Gray shouted as him and Juvia were struck. _Lightning's her biggest weakness._ "Ice-make shield!" Gray desperately threw his hands above them towards the sky, casting a shield above their heads as the bolts kept on striking down on them. "Leave her alone! It's me you're after!" Gray shouted to the white haired ice wizard.

Invel smirked "Oh but this is much more fun." he twisted another ring on his finger. "Thunder cane." A cane of thunder snaked towards the two Fairy Tail mages, Gray was still casting the shield above their heads to stop the lightning bolts, he couldn't block this attack to.

"You bastard!" Gray growled as the thunder cane smacked into Juvia sending her flying away from him before she hit the sand like a rag doll, still unconscious. "Juvia!" He called out to her but there was no response as the thunder cane kept hitting her followed up by some lightning bolts. _What the hell?_ Gray looked up the bolts had stopped over his head and where now only striking Juvia. The heavens opened as rain poured down and the sky turned as black as the night soaking everyone through almost immediately. _Juvia,_ Grays eyes went wide as he felt all her emotions. Remembering the first time he felt her in the rain. It was when they lived together in those six months; the best six months of his life. Until he left her and screwed it all up. It had shocked him at first, the rain, Gray couldn't work out why he kept feeling tides of sadness wash over him as he stood in the garden after turning Juvias dinner date down. It was only when he walked around to the porch and saw the silent tears rolling down her red cheeks that he understood. He knew they were close, they had an unexplainable bond, it made him angry to know that he had caused those feelings. So, he had gone up to her and said rather rudely that he was hungry and dinner out sounded like a nice change he hadn't meant to say it quite so coldly. The watermage had smiled that heart melting smile as the rain ceased and the sun had come back out. Gray now stared over at the watermage lying in the sand, his anger boiling over, she was down for the count yet this heartless prick kept on attacking. Did he want to kill her? Grays blood ran cold. He would _not_ let happen. "Ice Geyser!" Gray placed his hands on the ground again, infusing his devil slaying magic with the attack for good measure, as he ran to the watermage a horrible feeling creeping over his skin. The icemage sunk down to his knees in the wet sand and he picked her up, cradling her, her body still cold and oddly limp. He felt like his heart had stopped beating as he checked for a pulse. His eyes grew wide in panic as he felt all over her neck frantically. He couldn't breathe. _She couldn't be_. He hadn't told her how he felt about her yet. He hadn't apologised for leaving her. He hadn't kissed her. "MEREDY!" Gray screamed in a pained voice as Juvia lay in his arms. Meredy and Lyon hobbled over to Gray their eyes wide.

"No she can't be." Lyons voice cracked. "Juvia!" He shouted to the heavens.

"She's still here, I can feel her in the rain. Just." Gray was clutching at straws. "Meredy, can you cast sensory link on us?" He eyed the pink haired mage who looked at him questioningly. "If I can't tell her. I need to at least show her." He closed his eyes sending a silent prayer to Mavis.

"What's sensory link?" Lyon asked

"It's a link that I can forge between two people who have strong feelings for each other. It allows them to feel what the other is feeling. I cast it on Juvia and Gray on Tenrou island." Gray stared at Meredy. _On Tenrou? That must've been when I felt all those weird emotions and pain when I was tracking Ultear._ "Like I said, they have to have strong feelings for each other." Meredy finished as she cast it, forming a heart like bracelet on Gray and Juvia, Gray recognising it instantly. _So I had strong feelings even then._ His heart squeezed in answer. _Of course I did._ As the link set in Gray was overwhelmed as he sensed Juvia even stronger, her life was flickering and a lump formed in Grays throat. "Juvia…" He began as Meredy and Lyon walked away from the pair giving them some space. "I've wanted to tell you for so long now." He stroked some of her damp hair off her face. "But now it's too late." The tears started to fall down his cheeks just like when she had comforted him at his parents grave. "I don't want you to leave me too. You just can't." Gray opened his heart to her, letting out all his pent up emotions, letting them flow through the sensory link as he felt his heart cracking, leaking, breaking. "You promised….we promised….. to keep on living….." He whispered his voice and body shaking as he was consumed with sadness. The rain was getting lighter and Gray wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He remembered all that they had been through since Juvia had joined Fairy Tail, how she had changed his life with her brilliant smile and loving personality, how he hadn't responded in fear of losing her. And now he was losing her and his biggest regret was not showing her how he felt. He had held himself back during those six months, occasionally letting himself slip up and those moments he had, he had been so completely happy and carefree. Juvia and him hadn't just trained together. They had _lived_ together like normal people. They had shared secrets and past memories of sadder times, his parents death, Ur's death, her parents death and abandoning of her, her time at Phantom Lord. She too was a different person now. Or she had been. She was perfect in every way possible, physically and emotionally. She had so much love to give. Gray couldn't imagine her not living. "Please come back to me…." He whispered as he placed a trembling kiss on her forehead holding her into him. He stared down at the watermage as tears continued to roll down his cheeks the sensory link on both of their arms flashing. That couldn't be good. He had lost her. A few more moments passed as the rain continued to fall on Hargeons beach front, Grays ice geyser still holding the ice mage captive. Grays thoughts turned red. That bastard had killed Juvia, and oh boy was he going to pay. Gray felt his control snapping as the devil slayer mark grew up his arm, he was delving into the darkness. It was numbing his pain. Gluing his heart back together with its slick black tendrils. His mind narrowed in anger shutting everything else out. Almost.

"Gr-Gray-sama…" The body in arms choked, Grays eyes flew to the watermage as the darkness inside him dissipated and the tendrils around his heart all but vanished along with his tattoo. The watermages blue eyes flicked open, hazy at first darting around before settling on Grays. "Gray-sama!" She squealed sitting upright in his lap straddling him as she threw her arms around his neck. "Juvia had the strangest dream… she dreamt she died." She whispered as Gray wrapped his arms around her waist, new tears of relief flowing down his cheeks as he sobbed. He had nearly lost her, and himself. He nearly succumbed to the darkness, she was his light.

"You don't even know the half of it." He whispered back to her his head buried in her blue waves not wanting to let her go again. Meredy cut off the sensory link as her and Lyon smiled at the two mages from a distance.

"Took him long enough." Lyon mumbled smiling at Meredy, he wasn't going to let her get away from him like Sherry.

"I'm so glad you're back…" Gray mumbled into her hair as he pulled back to look into her eyes which too were glistening with tears. He cupped her face in one of his hands taking her all in.

"Back? Gray-sama?" Juvia asked feeling unnerved this wasn't like Gray-sama, had her dream really been a dream? Gray-samas reaction seemed to tell her that her dream was _very_ real. A loud shattering sound behind them caused both mages to turn around. Winter General Invel was up again, dis-shelved but up. Gray and Juvia scrambled to their feet to, Juvia noted that her magic was low but not completely gone, her body felt fried. Literally.

"So you survived after all. No thanks to your boyfriend." Invel snarled at them. "He isn't your boyfriend though is he? How can you bear to be with someone who doesn't return your feelings?" His eyes pierced Juvias, she had no idea how Gray-sama truly felt about her, but if his actions just then coupled with what she had felt whilst she was 'dreaming' - she was sure that she had had a sensory link cast on her, were anything to go by then he did feel _something_ for her.

Gray wrapped an arm around her waist holding her close next to him. "You know nothing about us or our relationship." He said coldly, so coldly, that if words could freeze anything those words would. Gray turned to face Juvia his eyes growing softer as he stared into those deep trusting blue pools. "You ready to do this?" He smiled at her as she nodded. Over a year ago Juvia would have fangirled at that sentence, but now she was more mature, she felt more stable in their relationship - whatever it was.

"Yes Gray-sama." She replied as the both stripped off the top half of their bodies. Juvia just in her bra. Gray noticed, a lacy one at that too.

"Wh-what, they strip together?!" Lyon turned crimson at the sight hiding behind his hands.

"You do know you're in the middle of a battle right?!" Meredy shouted at the two mages who were smiling at each other.

"Of course! We're just getting down to business." Gray grinned at Meredy then back to the blunette.. "Juvia…." He blushed. "Where is the corset, I thought we agreed. No distractions." His face flushed completely crimson.

"Gray-sama! Juvia only has one and it's in the wash at Fairy Hills!" She pouted before looking down at her bra. "Does Gray-sama not like this bra?" She asked blushing as Invel, Lyon and Meredy sweat dropped. _Are they mocking me?_ Invel thought as he watched the situation feeling too awkward to do anything. Juvia was nice to look at too.

"Wh…What no! That's not it!" He waved his hands in front of him before scratching his head and rubbing his face in embarrassment. "It's a lovely bra! But! Gah!" He took the confused watermages hands in his. "Let's just do this." He said taking a deep breath calming his thoughts and his hormones. He opened his eyes again meeting Juvias, both of them settling their emotions, focusing as the wind whipped up a gentle spray of sand around them. Juvia felt a rush of warmth flooding, spreading through her as Gray held her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Activate second origin!" They both spoke calmly as their eyes locked onto one anothers, their hearts quicken into one heartbeat.

"Ice Geyser!" Gray shouted imbuing it with devil slayer magic throwing his all behind it.

"Wings of love!" Juvia shouted at the same time, feeling Gray-samas magic and hers mixing, melding, uniting as one. Their unison raids were always beautiful, always perfect. Lyon and Meredy stared on in shock at the sheer perfection of the raid, their bond clearly shown in the beauty and power of the attack, Invel powerless against them. Nothing was a match for them together. When the raid was over Juvia turned to Gray. "We did it Gray-sama!" Juvia squealed throwing her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist.

"We did." He held her for a few moments longer enjoying the warm feeling that spread through him every time he did. Gray pulled away from her keeping his arms around her as she placed her smaller delicate ones on his bare chest. "I can't wait any longer Juvia." He whispered her eyes growing wide as his voice grew a huskier tone. "My answer." He whispered again moving his face closer and closer to hers as their heart beats grew quicker and quicker, their lips meeting, sending shivers and heat through them both from their head to their toes, setting every nerve on fire even though the kiss was only a gentle and sweet one. Juvias lips were sweet and plump like honey, Grays matching hers with a soft juicy firmness. They broke apart as the rain got heavier causing Juvia to shrink away from him slightly. Gray tightened his grip on her pulling her back to him as he chuckled at the rain that washed over their bare skin. He pressed his forehead against hers, noses touching as he stared in her deep blue eyes, he could get lost in them forever. "I love you Juvia." She stared at him wide eyed her blue orbs dancing as he fiddled with the ends of her hair, heart in his mouth.

"Juvia - I love you to Gray-sama!" Her melodious voice washing through him, a lot higher pitched than normal as she slid her hands up his chest to his neck as she kissed him, feeling the rain on his lips and body as she slipped her hands up into his wet black hair deepening the kiss as unspoken words and buried emotions burned between them, nothing could ever come between them. Their passion and love for each other burned like the sun. Gray and Juvia both learned that what doesn't kill you - makes you stronger.

 **A/N:** **So I wrote the alternate (original) ending anyway :-D I prefer this mushy one! What did you think of my almost dead Juvia, I actually shed a few tears writing that scene! Hope you like it! If you like this Gruvia fic, then please check out all my other Gruvia oneshots and story!**

 **Please read and review!**

CrookedMoonlight


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